Just This Once
by Fleurs de Pomme
Summary: If you do not care, Sasukekun, then why are you standing outside my door in the pouring rain' [Sakura Sasuke luff]


Just something short...

I didn't know what I was going to do with this. So far, it seems just like a small Oneshot, but I'll leave it uncompleted just in case I think of anything else…more chapters or anything like that. At the end…I have a question…but I won't ask it now because that's probably going to distract and bother me more than it is right now. And trust me, it's bothering me a lot…D On with the fic that may seem a bit rushed just so I can ask and maybe I'll feel better, but who knows. And sorry you have to read all this. Sometime in the beginning Sakura and Ino have a fight with Sasuke and Shika watching. Don't ask these following questions – Why are they fighting? Why are Sasuke and Shika just watching? And what does that have to do with anything? I don't know…I need an excuse to have her yelling at him p.

**Disclaimer – No characters, settings, or miscellaneous items in the series belong to me.**

**Dedicated to – Him; may your eyes always be gorgeous so I can slack off in science class by staring at them. Forever and for always,luff you.**

'_I've been the needle and the thread  
Weaving figure eights and circles round your head  
I try to laugh but cry instead  
Patiently wait to hear the words you've never said_

_There's only so much I can do for you  
after all of the things you put me through'_

_-Maroon 5_

It rained that night…

…she hated the rain.

It reminded of him. Of her and him. And what he had said to her and what she had said back, nothing. She suppressed her cries and tried to pass off her sudden sobs as coughs whenever she talked to him. She didn't want to seem weak or insignificant. Or worse; annoying.

It was a soft rain but soon turned into a raging storm pattering against the windows and thunder rang, echoing across the seemingly empty house. But it wasn't empty.

Haruno Sakura sat against her window seat, her back pressed firmly against the misty glass. She felt every drop hit the window and roll down. She heard it too. She was wet, or at least her hair was. She had walked home from ramen with Naruto alone, despite his offers to accompany her.

It was simple to understand why she said no; she felt alone, she walked alone.

And of the Uchiha? Sasuke, he was not gone. He was still in Konoha. But so was his lovely girlfriend…or so Sakura had heard. She'd never met her, or seen her, or even met anybody that had met her or seen her. Personally, Sakura didn't understand how he could have a girlfriend.

In her opinion, she was the only one who looked like his type. But that was what Ino thought too.

Ino and Sakura had gotten into a fight about it. Sasuke had merely stood there looking from Sakura to Ino in puzzlement, though it didn't show much. Shikamaru was also there since he took to following Ino around claiming that she was 'troublesome' when she was alone. They yelled and their hands moved threateningly to their kunai, but it was all in bluff. They didn't really want to hurt each other.

"Pig!" Sakura half shouted, half sobbed.

"Big forehead girl!" Ino spat back.

"Sakura…stop it…" Sasuke finally muttered.

"Why are you sticking up for her? Is it her long hair? I had long hair too!" Sakura felt the tips of her short hair and remembered her Chunin Exam. The ends felt uneven and split from when she had cut them. "But you never noticed me then either!"

Sasuke, just because he's Sasuke, turned around and left once he realized he couldn't think of a response. Sakura, hatred burning her face in the form of tears, passed Ino and Shikamaru and ran after Sasuke, stopping in front of him and blocking his back.

"Move." He said hotly.

"Why?" She was pushing him now. She was daring him to hit her.

"Because. Now move." He held out his hand and grabbed her shoulder, attempting to push her aside. She glared at him. Her fist clenched, she slammed it across his face in a half-punch, half-slap way. Shock came over his face, but was then replaced by a smirk.

'Is she drunk or something…' he pondered.

"Jerk!" she sobbed after him as he left.

Shikamaru passed after stopping and muttering 'What a drag…' and Ino followed staring blankly at the angry Sakura. After they left and she made sure no one was watching, she sank to her knees and finally realized the pain in her hand. 'Ow.' She muttered while shaking it off.

'Sakura. How annoying. Girlfriend. Never. It would be too much trouble to watch a girl cling to your arm all day. Especially if they're like Sakura. Better say something. No. She'll figure it out. I don't have time for a girlfriend.' Sasuke had a mind battle with himself while walking home. His hands rested deeply in his pockets. He passed the ramen stand where the Haruno accompanied Naruto. He stopped to watch them for a second. Naruto slammed his fist on the counter.

"This is only my twelfth bowl!" he bellowed.

"I think I'm going to go, Naruto." Sakura sighed.

"I'll walk you home!" Naruto answered gleefully.

Sasuke didn't want to hear this. He thought it be best if he kept walking, less chance he'd run into them walking back. He quickened his pace and left in silence, with not even a gesture of recognition when Naruto yelled after him, "SASUKE!"

Sakura turned to see the retreating back of Sasuke and replied to Naruto, "No, it's okay. I'll walk alone."

"Are you sure? It's dark. I should really come." Naruto insisted.

"No, it's fine. Really. It's going to rain soon." Sakura protested.

"Okay. You'll be alright though? Well, since I am the next greatest Hokage I'll just have anyone messing with you banished…or buy me ramen from the rest of my life." Naruto began to mumble plans to himself.

Sakura sighed and looked back out the window, still feeling the beating rain. There was still moonlight, casting long and lingering shadows across the room. Her green-grey eyes drifted from her kunai to her headband to the photograph. A bemused looking younger Sakura stared, but smiled at a blissful boy with a full grin standing in the middle and a slightly smirking Sasuke on his other side.

Sakura stood up, unaware of the presence of a shadowy figure outside her window. She walked over to her vanity and felt the cold wood of the picture frame. Her eyes traced the outline remembering that time when they were so much younger and training with Kakashi-sensei, Sakura claiming to be madly in love with Sasuke and Naruto spreading rumors about Sakura being his girlfriend. And then there was Sasuke, always smirking or frowning with his arms crossed over his chest.

And then it hit her; she was still the same. Naruto, Kakashi, it was all still the same. Sasuke, he was the same too. He was still determined and leering every chance he got. If it was all still the same, then why did she feel like EVERYTHING had changed since they were children?

A knock startled Sakura and she quickly slammed the picture down to walk hurriedly towards the door. She opened the door just a crack and peered out into the darkness where the last person she expected to see was standing.

"Sasuke?" she managed to choke out.

"Hn." He looked directly at her.

"Sasuke…I'm so sorry! Really I am!" she wailed and flung out him. Her hands latched around his neck while his arms stayed firmly planted on his side.

"Sakura…" he struggled to get out of her grip. The rain seemed to make it harder now that his hair hung over his face in a wet mess.

"Sasuke-kun?" she asked confusedly and looked up at him.

'She still acts so childish.' He said silently.

"I want to clear something up. Listen," Sasuke said slowly, trying to choose the right words. "I don't have a girlfriend."

"Really, Sasuke-kun?" her eyes grew wide. "I was so worried. But, now you don't have one and the rumors aren't true…" she babbled on.

"But, Sakura…" he said. "I don't care."

The grin on Sakura's face slid into a frown. She should've known. He doesn't care about her, about anything else.

Her eyes went from the ground to his face as she said, "If you don't care, Sasuke-kun, then why are you standing outside my door in the middle of the rain?"

The question got him off guard. "Um…" he strained to think of an answer.

"Sasuke-kun!" she flew at him once again. He covered a slight blush and then smirked…as usual…

Sasuke walked to the same spot on the bridge to meet the rest of Squad 7. One hand was in the usual space in his pocket while the other hung loosely. Naruto was probably already there, maybe Sakura was too. "Sakura…" he said under his breath. She had done a good job of breaking him down the night before. He wouldn't let it happen again.

Sometime along the journey, he was spotted by Sakura who gradually caught up to him. While he wasn't looking, she slid her hand into his free one and walked in a steady pace with him. Sasuke had noticed this, but took no further action.

For now, he'd just let this one slide. But it wouldn't happen again…-koff-

K, I'm done now. In the beginning, it was easy, but by the end, it started getting harder. I didn't want to do those one hundred word oneshots. Also, I didn't want it to be sappily romantic France-worthy story either. Even though I do read those sometimes P.

So, now my inquiry; I was just chilling around a website when I come across some girl who I assume is a SakuNaru fanatic because I had seen her post the same thing like two times already. So she was like, 'Naruto and Sakura fall in love in these two chapters of the manga! Look here!' So, I looked. I'm guessing it was chapter 70-100. I dunno. But it was before Sasuke came back in his little new outfit –loves that chapter- Since I haven't read the whole manga, I'm not sure if what this girl claims is true. Do they fall in love? I hope not for two reasons. One; Sakura and Sasuke is luff 3 3 3 3 3! Two; What about little Hinata? She'll be heartbroken –tear-

Okay, that's enough babbling now. Hop you enjoyed. There are a lot of unexplained things happening…but I'll leave them unexplained because I can't really explain them.


End file.
